Slow and Steady
by PagetPaulson
Summary: Their first date.


"Baby, can you say hi to Aaron for me?"

The two year old giggled before hiding her face in her mother's chest.

Hotch smiled a the midnight eyed little girl and nodded to the woman before him. "I'm going to take that as a good sign." He watched as the brunette blushed, and he brought his son closer to his side. "Alyssa, this is Jack."

Jack waved at the little girl. "She's tiny, Em'ly."

"Very tiny," the mother nodded, smiling calmly up to the little boy she had grown to love. "But Ali is kind of shy. Do you think you want to help her?"

The five year old boy puffed out his chest and leaned down to take the toddler's hand in his. "Let's play blocks, Ali."

Alyssa looked cautiously over to her mother and waited for that affirmative nod of the head before she followed her new friend over to the blanket on the grass.

"I think they like each other," Emily grinned happily, standing along with the older man and letting him take her hand. "I'm glad you let Jack meet her."

"I'm glad you let _me_ meet her," the Unit Chief chuckled, sitting the brunette beauty down beside him on the park bench.

Emily kept herself quiet for a moment.

His hand tightened around the younger woman's before he brought it up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"I didn't tell anyone about her," she almost whispered. Hearing the words echo within her ears, Emily's head spun. "Don't think I'm ashamed of her."

"Of course not," the older man frowned. "I know you, Emily. I would never think that."

Emily slowly shook her head. "It was a stupid thing I did with an ex and I got a beautiful little girl out of it." She watched her daughter laugh at a face Jack made, and she smiled. "But it wasn't anyone's business. I didn't want to bring it up at work because I didn't want them thinking of me differently."

"As a mother and not an agent?"

The ambassador's daughter snorted. "I wanted to stay this strong woman everyone had always seen me as, but now it doesn't matter as much anymore." Turning her head, Emily smiled to the handsome man at her side. "I love being a mother."

Hotch leaned into her and grinned against the brunette's cheek. 'I bet you're the best mother."

Emily blushed, nodding her head when she felt his lips turn up against her skin. "Oh I am. I'm surprised I haven't gotten an award yet."

"You want me to give you an away?"

Gasping, the brown eyed woman grinned as Hotch gripped her legs and laid them over his. "Very strong," she commented, her eyes smoldering as he leaned in, and her hand came up to cup his cheek. "Very handsome."

Hotch grinned evilly to the younger woman. "You are very right."

She giggled before he finally pressed a kiss to her lips, her fingers scratching lightly at the stubble on his chin. "Mr. Hotchner," she tried to state with seriousness. "Is that your gun or are you just happy to see me?"

Hotch let out a bark of a laugh. "I'm _very_ happy to see you."

"Mommy!"

Emily held in her huff as she let herself separate from the older man. "Yes baby?"

The Unit Chief turned his head toward the children, intrigued. That was the first time the little two year old girl had spoken all afternoon.

Alyssa giggled as Jack brushed a flower against her cheek. "Mommy!"

Emily grinned, getting herself up from the bench and racing over to her daughter. "What baby?" she whispered against Alyssa's ear after picking her up and settling her in her lap.

"Mommy," Alyssa smiled wide. "I like Jack."

The five year old's face lit up at the words. "I like you too!"

Emily blushed when she felt Hotch's lips press against her cheek, and she embarrassedly shrugged her shoulders to get him away. "Well are you guys hungry? Jack's daddy and I thought that we could go have some lunch."

"Where we going?"

"Why don't we go to my house?" Seeing the trepidation in the young boy's eyes, Emily turned and pointed to the tall building just across the street. "You see right there? That's where I live."

Jack's jaw dropped.

"Emily has a lot of money."

The FBI agent's jaw dropped, and she reached behind her to slap the older man.

Hotch laughed as he fell on his ass. "What? It's true!"

"Just because it's true doesn't mean you say it!"

Hotch gave a pout before getting himself on his knees, and he set his hands to the mother's shoulders. "Jack, Emily is very smart and made a lot of good investments, and that's how she has that house."

Emily snorted before standing, her daughter tight on her hip as they got ready to cross the street.

"Hold hands, daddy!"

Reaching out, the brunette man snatched up both his son's hand and Emily's hand, shooting the younger woman a grin. "Jack's right. We have to hold hands."

Emily glared playfully to her boss before crossing the street with him and the children. "You can hold more than that if you're lucky."

"Agent Prentiss," the laughing man tsked, interlocking their fingers. "On the first date?"

"Oh no, I don't move that quickly on the first date."

Alyssa slapped at her mother's shoulder. "Slow and steady!"

Emily's smile grew at the delight she saw in her daughter's eyes. "That's right! Slow and steady," she smiled sultrily, winking at the man by her side. "Take me to dinner and we can see what we can do."


End file.
